Aberrant
by Happymeday
Summary: Kyouko never overheard Sho's scathing confession to Shoko, and continued on in blissful ignorance. However, a young girl cannot work over three jobs and still be healthy. Slowly, Kyouko's health deteriorates, and all the while she persists in helping Sho. Luckily for her, Kuon has a soft heart.
1. Chapter 1: Grabbing Dead Girls On the Go

**Disclaimers Apply. I do not own Skip Beat, only this story plot.**

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_Aberrant Chapter 1_

_Grabbing Dead Girls On the Go_

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"Kyouko-chan, dear, you're running a fever again. I don't even know how you're standing. You really should go and rest." The okami-san's kind words were lost on Kyouko, however, as the young girl merely shook her head and stood back up, her hand coming to rest briefly on the corner of the table when she stumbled. The elder woman reached out instantly to steady Kyouko, but it was with a cold shoulder that Kyouko brushed off her help.

A calm smile tilted Kyouko's lips up. "It's quite alright, Okami-san. I've worked through this before." A quick dig through her sleeves and the kimono-wearing girl found her handkerchief. She dabbed the small cloth along her forehead and down the sides and back of her neck before returning the used article into its folds.

Bypassing the Okami's kind protests, Kyouko slipped through the door unobtrusively, flashing a cheerful smile at the Taisho before stepping onto the working floor, quickly gathering used cups and plates.

_The customer must not know. The customer is before me, and must never know. Breathe in, straighten your back, and breathe out. You are the perfect hostess_.

Her mantra somehow helped Kyouko through her night shift, and it was with an unperceivable sigh that she flipped the OPEN sign to CLOSED. After a quick clean-up and glance over, Kyouko was ready to leave work. She accepted her month's paycheck with a happy smile, changed out of her kimono into her casual clothes, and stepped out into the cold night.

Despite it being April the night still persisted on being chilly, but the bitter breeze felt wonderful on her heated cheeks and forehead. She wiped her palms down her face, yet still felt clammy. The customer was no longer in front of her, and Kyouko wasn't sure she could make it all the way home. If she fell asleep on the subway, she'd probably miss her stop. She couldn't afford a taxi, not at this distance seeing as how her condo was in the higher-end of town and the Daruma-ya was in the suburbs. She hadn't brought her bike with her because its chain had been loose.

With a weary gaze Kyouko eyed the bench situated before a subway station. Should she…?

Shrugging off her reluctance, Kyouko settled into the hard wooden seat and sighed. It felt like her bones were melting into the seat and it felt good.

* * *

_-/-_

* * *

It was with great reluctance that Ren carried the woman into his apartment. Even though Yashiro had supplied the idea, once Ren began to consider it, it was suddenly the manager's job to vehemently reject it with a variety of reasons. With a heavy heart, Ren found it unbearable to leave the unconscious woman where she had been, so he'd scooped her up, placed her in his car as comfortable as possible, and drove to his apartment, a nagging Yashiro in the passenger seat all the while.

"Ren!" Yashiro screeched quietly. "Be more gentle! You nearly knocked off her head!"

"It's not as if I have tons of experience carrying women through my doorway." Ren replied snidely.

"Even so." The light-haired man sniffed, a cautious eye still trained on the young woman they had picked up. Blast Ren and his kind heart! Yashiro was positive this was going to come back and bite them in the ass.

Ren gently lowered the exhausted girl onto his spare bed, finding it extremely difficult as he tried to maneuver her into the bed while drawing back the sheets at the same time. The actor stretched to his full height afterwards, glancing down briefly and noting something he'd disregarded earlier.

"Those disgusting bastards," Ren growled under his breath as he caught sight of her disassembled clothes. It was one of the main reasons Ren had decided to take her home. He didn't want any more men trying to have their way with her.

He sat down lightly onto the bed next to her, twisting so that he could fix her clothes. At this close range however, he could see her collar bones.

Sorrow enveloped him. "You poor thing," he mumbled, tracing the fine bones with his eyes. Even the flush of her obvious fever could not hide the even more obvious sign of exhaustion in the hollows of her eyes, bruised purple, and the way her cheekbones were beginning to just appear sharp.

Sighing heavily, Ren buttoned up her shirt once more, ignoring the way his knuckles brushed against her soft bra and skin, pulled the sheets up to her chin, and left the room.

Padding barefoot down his hallway, Ren could smell food cooking in his question, and when he walked in he found Yashiro in an apron cooking something in a pot. It smelled nicely, and when he peered in he saw it was congee. Ren smiled. As against it as Yashiro was, he was still too kind.

Suddenly, Ren realized exactly the situation he'd placed himself in, and he groaned deeply, resting against his counters.

"Yashiro, what am I going to do?"

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**A/N:**

**This will probably be 5 or so chapters long. Certainly not as long as my other stories in the making. Also, as a heads up, this will mostly be told in Ren/Kuon's point of view. I find far too many fanfictions not told in his POV. **

**Meant to be a character-development focused story, but expect a lot of fluff. And yes, I believe Sho will make an entrance ;)**

**Please review, and if you could tell me what you think of this story so far it would be most appreciated!**

EDIT: So I just noticed someone posted a story very similar description-wise. I promise I didn't take the idea from them. I saw it right now while checking for my own story to pop up. (close edit)**  
**


	2. Chapter 2: Skeletons In the Closet

**Disclaimers Apply. I do not own Skip Beat, only this story plot.**

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_Aberrant Chapter 2_

_Skeletons in the Closet_

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When Ren blinked his groggy eyes open, the first thing he noticed with a sense of dread was that he'd slept too much. The proud actor was used to, at best, six hours of sleep, and at worst four hours. But the heaviness of his limbs and how warm he felt told him he'd slept far past his usual hours.

For the first time in two years Ren sprang out of bed like a teenager realizing they were late for school. He teetered on sleeping feet, grabbing his phone off his nightstand as he regained his balance. When he flipped the device open, however, he found two messages from Yashiro.

_Good morning Ren. I changed your schedule around a bit. Everything else has been pushed back except for two appointments- an interview and a meeting with the producers for your newest project. I'll call later with those details, but the first one is at eleven._

Attached to the first message was a photo, and after downloading it Ren found it to be a picture of his new schedule of the upcoming week. He quickly scanned through it, confirming what he had suspected had been possible dates for other appointments. A wry grin twisted his lips when he found that tomorrow had also been relatively cleared for him aside from one appointment.

A sense of relief swelled within him so deep that Ren laughed aloud, clasping a wayward hand on his side. Sometimes, Ren just seemed to forget exactly how valuable Yashiro was.

He returned to his phone to send a reply when he saw that Yashiro had actually sent him two messages.

_Here are some links to help you with your new guest! I expect her to have eaten, taken medicine, and been cleaned up properly when I come later! If not, I'm telling the president. :(_

At this, Ren really laughed, falling backwards to bounce and settle on his unmade bed. "She's not a pet," he murmured, finding Yashiro's word choice odd. But, feeling sufficiently threatened, he sighed aloud recalling that he did indeed have a house guest. God, he didn't even know her name! He knew next to nothing about her, except that maybe she was vaguely idiotic to fall asleep on a bench before a very busy subway station. But then, what if she was homeless? She had said she didn't want to go to the hospital…

Deciding not much good could come of simply sitting there and wondering, Ren quickly perused through the links Yashiro had sent. Luckily enough, Ren thought the capable manager had bought much of what he needed as many of the listed things seemed similar to what Ren had seen in the shopping bags the night before.

The tall man sighed once more and figured it was time to finally get on with his day. A quick glance at his clock told him it was a few hours before his first appointment, so he went through his morning rituals luxuriously, unhampered by time.

Afterwards, though, he stood nervously outside the guest room. What if she was awake? Would she attack him? He sorta hoped she would, as any female should do in a situation like this.

_But I'm not kidnapping her! I'm helping her! _Ren morosely thought. Shaking off his musings, Ren knocked on the bedroom door.

No reply.

He knocked tentatively once more, and after several minutes had passed, he figured it was alright to enter.

Too late, he'd opened the door and had suddenly thought _what if she's deaf?_, and so he swiftly shut his eyes, hoping beyond hope she was quite dead asleep and wouldn't be awake to witness a random man barging in through her door.

Another minute passed, and he dared to crack open an eye. It was his right one though, so he couldn't see the bed on his left. Hesitantly, he let his other eye open.

She was asleep.

A sigh so deep fell from his lips it felt like all the air in his body had been expelled at once. He quietly crossed the carpeted floor and pulled open one curtain, the rectangular quadrant of light it exposed falling just short of where the covers were pulled up to her chest. He stepped closer to look at her.

He thought she looked better than the night before. Her skin wasn't as ghastly pale as it had been, and the raging flush that had dominated her forehead and cheeks had cooled to what looked like an innocent blush. Her lips were parted in sleep, and with her black hair fanned around her face he thought she looked like she had never been sick in the first place, but only deep asleep.

_Like sleeping beauty_, his wandering mind prompted. Scowling at the wayward thought, he shoved it away, instead focusing on detangling the ice bag from its hook over her forehead. Yashiro had set it up the night before, efficiently explaining its purpose and how to work it, not questioning why Ren did not know of such a common cold treatment.

When Ren returned to reset the bag now full of ice, he found that bending over her and trying to tie it was becoming unwieldy, and he grunted with the awkward effort. Giving up, he sat gingerly by her torso, unwilling to sit further up.

Ren stretched over her and finally set the bag, grinning in triumph. However, as he was about to stand and retreat, the girl sleeping peacefully laid out next to him stirred.

The actor automatically froze nervously, glancing down at her as her eyes fluttered open, coming to focus on him with a startling intensity.

Ren prepared himself for shrieks and screams, for calls of him being a pervert, for her to even jump at him in glee, but what she said shocked him.

A sleepy grin broke out on her face, and gingerly she raised a warm hand to cup his cheek. "You're all grown up." She whispered happily, smiling brightly at him, full of warmth.

Shocked, he raised his hand to…remove hers? Hold hers? He didn't know, but before he could even grasp it, her hand fell away, coming to rest on his lap as she once again succumbed to slumber.

Her hand burned through the fabric of his pajamas, and he leapt away, suddenly completely aware that he was shirtless, bare foot, only wearing bottoms, and sitting on her bed. Guilt washed over him, and he turned away from her, embarrassed. He was very grateful she'd been so out of it that she hadn't really processed the fact that a half-naked man she did not know had been sitting by her in her sleep.

Shame flared hot and bright when that train of thought ended and he figured she really needed medicine. Ren quickly left her room, heading straight to his to change into more suitable clothes. _Except I normally dress like this in my home_.

Once he felt more...normal, Ren once again went through the sites Yashiro had sent him, and tried his best to follow the directions. She didn't awake again in the following hours, and Ren was torn between relief and worry. He spent some time wearing a path through his living room floor trying to figure out whether or not taking her to the hospital would, in the end, be best.

_After all, I can't really take care of her_, he admitted to himself, acknowledging just how out of his depth he was. _But she specifically said no hospitals. If it's because she can't afford it, I would pay for her, but the media would find out and that really wouldn't be good._

Ren knew this wasn't a situation he could handle. He was only twenty years old! He could barely take care of himself properly, though he was loathe to admit it.

Right before he left for his next appointment, Ren carefully wrote out a letter explaining their current situation, to make herself at home, and to apologize for the most likely horrible-tasting soup he'd made. The letter he set on the bedside table by where she slept, next to the said bowl of horrible-tasting soup, just in case she woke up. Lying gingerly on a square piece of tissue was her required medicine, it's former container standing at the paper's corner.

Ren flitted about a few moments, hovering in the doorway as she slept. He wondered if she'd wake up while he was gone. He wondered what she meant by '_you're all grown up_'. Did this girl know him? Know Kuon?

He frowned at the thought, and shook off the foreboding anxiety gathering in his stomach. She was a random stranger off the streets in Tokyo Japan. The only way she'd know him would be through his famous persona.

Yashiro came and retrieved him, peeking in for but a moment on the sleeping girl. His precise eyes confirmed the required food and medicine, and after tugging the curtain's closed, Yashiro nodded his approval. He stepped out the door, knowing Ren would follow.

And he did, casting only the slightest of backwards glances at the girl lying innocently and unconscious in his home.

* * *

_-/-_

* * *

Ren had talked to the president.

After Lory had chastised him thoroughly for being stupid, he quickly changed sides, giddily demanding to know if the girl was cute. When Ren was silent in contemplation Lory had crowed in delight and said Ren had his blessings to keep the girl there.

Ren retrieved the information he needed from Lory after several conversational tangents all centered around Lory's musings. Just remembering gave Ren a headache, and he sighed, rubbing his left temple in agitation.

_"And what a boring man you used to be! You can't let this opportunity like this go, Ren!"_

The president's parting words left Ren with a deep-seated unease, and even though his work-load today had been incredibly light, Ren still felt incredibly tired. He flicked on the hall light and used it to peer into _her_ room.

The soup and medicine had been left disturbed. In fact, she probably hadn't even awoken at all.

Once again, worry attacked him. Should he take her to the hospital after all, reputation be damned?

But Lory's words were still fresh on his mind, and they left him with more questions. Exactly _what_ opportunities could he get from caring for a possibly homeless girl he'd picked up off the streets?

Having confirmed what he had suspected when he came home to a dark house though, Ren quietly shut her bedroom door, padding silently to his own room to settle for the night with a script. But, halfway down the hall, he veered sharply, instead stepping into his personal gym for a workout.

Ren was feeling very stressed.

* * *

_-/-_

* * *

Ren awoke much in the same manner as the morning before, except without the panic. He lay in bed, still, for quite some time, staring at his plain white ceiling, before dragging himself out to face the day.

He checked in briefly on the sleeping girl, opening one curtain for dim lighting, before completing his morning requirements.

When he walked into her room next, he was properly clothed and tousling his hair with a white towel, drops flying off to pepper his face. A startled gasp drew his attention, and he looked up.

She was sitting in the bed, covers pooled around her stomach like she'd just sat up. Her hands fluttered to her mouth, eyes wide and face pale. Shocked, Ren dropped his towel.

When she drew in a deep breath, he knew what was coming and automatically cringed. Face suddenly flushed red, the girl screamed and leapt out of the bed, grabbing the glass bowl of water he'd left at her bedside table and flinging it at him.

Yelping Ren ducked out of the way, gasping when it's contents smacked him in the face. She was reaching for the glass cup when he quickly stormed over to her, grasping her wrists and holding them down.

She thrashed around. "Get away from me you pervert, you sicko! You bastard, if you don't let go of me-!" She swung one way and her knee came up to slam between his legs, and he dropped like a rock, crouching low.

The pain radiated from where she had kicked him, and he groaned. "Not...what you...think," he managed after a few seconds. She seemed to have stopped her anger in shock at what she'd done.

But at his words her fury came back full force, it seemed. "Not what I think?! Let me tell you what I think!"

Ren had a feeling her version of "tell" involved more violence than words, and, though he was still aching something terrible, he unfolded himself and shot at her once more, pinning her to the bed under his weight, and carefully keeping her legs away from his groin.

"Get off me! Get off me get off me get off me!" She was screaming at him now, and Ren was wondering why he had ever felt hopeful that she'd react this way.

Grabbing her wildly flinging wrists that were beating at his head, his back, wherever they could reach, he grasped them in one hand and held them down over her head, effectively trapping her and finally keeping her still.

With his free hand he grasped her chin and forced her to look at him. Hatred brimmed in the depths of her golden eyes as she glared at him for all she was worth, but Ren was not one to be intimidated easily, and so he stared straight back.

"If you would _listen_, I could explain to you _why_ you're here." Ren bit out angrily, still sore about being kicked.

But his anger dissolved when he saw her tears, pooling in her eyes and spilling over her cheeks to disappear into her hairline. He felt sorry for her. He couldn't really imagine how terrified she must feel, being held down like she was by a man as huge as himself.

He wanted to sit up and away from her, to give her the dignity of being properly talked to, but he was afraid she'd attack him again, and so he remained where he was, trapping the whole length of her body with his.

"Miss, I don't know who you are, but I found you passed out on a bench from a terrible cold. When I tried to take you to the hospital you refused, crying that I couldn't. What I _ couldn't _do was just leave you there in the middle of the city at night, so I brought you here. I promise you, no, I swear to you I have not inappropriately touched you. If I get up now, will you behave?"

She nodded mutely, and though she'd stopped crying he could still see the wet tracks glistening from earlier. Swallowing his remorse, he eased up off her.

But before he could even make it off the bed she swung at him with a killer right hook he had not expected, socking him in his lower jaw and, combined with his earlier momentum of trying to sit up, completely tossing him off the bed to land in a crumpled heap on the floor.

She leapt up and scuttled to the other corner of the room, eyeing him nervously and the way he blocked the door with his fallen body.

Ren was scowling when he finally stood, rubbing his pounding jaw. She certainly knew how to punch, he thought acidly, glaring at her for good measure. "Well, now I know not to trust your word."

He thought he saw a flicker of guilt flash across her face, but when he looked again all he saw was hard anger. Ignoring his bleeding heart Ren found and picked up his earlier forgotten towel, finally wiping off the water from when she had thrown the bowl at him.

"Who are you?" She demanded, still pressing herself as far back into the corner as she could, eyes following the movement of his hands as he dried his face.

"I'm Ren, and it's nice to meet you..." he said, dropping the hand holding his towel, gesturing with an open hand towards her and taking a hesitant step forward.

But she ignored the offer. "As in Tsuruga Ren?"

"You think I'm a famous actor?" He asked, pitching his tone to just sound disbelievingly. He wasn't inclined to share more information with a stranger who clearly didn't trust him. And, believe him, it was mutual.

She scowled at him, but her gaze was darting away from him, glancing at the medicine and bowls by the bed she'd slept in, the ice-bag hanging loosely above where her head had been, and down at the clothes she'd been wearing for over two nights now.

Slowly, hesitantly, the glare eased off her face, and she finally stared up at him.

"I'm...my name is Kyouko. And... I'm sorry about throwing a bowl at you." She looked down as she said this last part, but he could still see the red-hot blush on her face. It was even on her ears.

He considered her for a moment, before asking, "But you're not sorry about punching me? Or kneeing me?"

Her head whipped up at that, her eyes narrowing at him in anger again. "No, _that_ I'm not sorry about. You deserved that." She sniffed. "How could you pin down a girl like that?"

He shrugged. "It was in my best interests to not get kneed, or hurt, again. You were wild."

"I was not." She retorted hotly, making her way towards him from her corner in the room. But instead of coming near him she veered off back to where she had been sleeping, making the bed.

He struggled in awkward silence for a moment, watching her swift, sure, movements. At least she was tidy. When she was finished, she continued to stand there, shifting on her feet. She was barefoot. He promised to bring her a pair of slippers, and upon returning found her cupping the broken bowl pieces from earlier in one hand as she gingerly picked them up with another.

He dropped the shoes and rushed to kneel beside her, trying to take the glass from her. "Hey! Don't worry about that, you could cut yourself, and you're already sick."

As soon as his hands had neared herself she had immediately backed off, letting her fingers fall onto her kneeling lap. She watched as he dropped the shards back onto the floor in a pile, their tinkling music filling their silence for a moment.

He retrieved the shoes and handed them to her, and once more in silence she slipped them on.

He was about say something, anything really, when her stomach broke the silence, gurgling loudly. The brilliant flush on her face was so funny he had to cough to hide his laughter, though he didn't think he fooled her.

"I suppose you're uh, hungry. Why don't I make you something?" Ren suggested, waving languid hands towards her still talking stomach. But instead of inciting anger as he expected, horror dawned on her face, washing it pale.

"No, I can't let you do that! In fact, I should be leaving now! Thank you, really, for taking care of me, and I'll pay you back I promise, but I really shouldn't impede on you anymore." As she spoke she hurriedly went around the room, searching for her items.

But, as she rounded the bed again, her foot caught on its corner and she stumbled. Ren darted forward to catch her, and when she landed in his arms he was struck by how thin she was.

Gently, Ren eased her onto the bedding, sliding a hand to feel her forehead. "Your fever went up again!" He scolded. "I just got it down!" She scowled down into her lap, and he hid a smile. "Come on, you're in no state to be going anywhere. Get back into bed," he encouraged. Surprisingly, she complied.

He tucked her in childishly, until all that peeped above the covers was her flushed face. He turned to leave, but was stopped by her hand shooting out to grab the hem of his shirt.

"Where are you going," she asked, eyes beseeching him to stay.

He chuckled. "I'm going to get you some food. You need to eat something before your stomach attacks me."

She broke a weary but embarrassed smile at that, letting his shirt flutter loose from her fingertips. He could feel her eyes on him as he left, leaving the door open so she could hear him in the kitchen.

He was embarrassed to admit that, as he grabbed the container of leftover congee that Yashiro had made, his refrigerator was startlingly empty and bare. He promised himself that when she next fell asleep he'd go downstairs and buy groceries.

He cracked the lid to cautiously sniff the food, but he couldn't really tell if it was still good. If it was bad, it'd smell really nasty, right? With that logic, Ren poured the congee into a bowl and microwaved it. He placed the heated bowl with a spoon on a tray he didn't know he had.

When Ren returned Kyouko's eyes immediately focused on him, staring at him with such an intensity it made him slightly uncomfortable. He darted his gaze away as he set down the tray, listening to the rustle of sheets as she sat up.

But, when he looked at her, a wicked thought came into his mind. With a grin, he sat on the bed next to her, gathered the bowl and spoon into his hands, and held a scoop of the food near her lips. "Say ahhhh." he demanded.

Kyouko blushed furiously. She grabbed the spoon from him and swallowed the bite. "I can feed myself!" She retorted, also taking the bowl from him. Ren chuckled, standing up to give her space. Spotting a chair nearby, he dragged it over to sit near her.

Ren kept quiet as she ate, focusing on the sky through the open curtains. By the position of the sun, the actor knew he still had quite some time before his next appointment was due.

After she finished, Kyouko gave him her thanks and placed the bowl back on the tray. They were quiet for a moment, before she breached the silence.

"Why'd you take me to your home?"

He delayed answering by reaching for the glass of water and her medicine, handing them for her to take. She glanced at the pill bottle before complying, deftly drinking most of the water. Instead of returning it to the tray however, she kept it between her hands, staring down into it's depths as she waited patiently for his reply.

He had used that time to compose his answer though. "I was dropping my friend off at the station when we found you there. It wouldn't have been right to have left you."

She accepted his statement as truth. "I... I asked you to not take me to the hospital?"

He nodded. "We were talking about taking you when you suddenly woke up panicked, saying that you couldn't go." He stared at her inquisitively, asking silently for the reason. She didn't give him one.

The black-haired girl glanced up at him to ask, "Where's your friend? Is he your roommate?"

"He's working, and I'm the only one who lives here."

Kyouko was quiet at this, so he continued. "He made that congee by the way. I can't really cook."

He thought he saw a quick smile quirk her lips when he had said that, but it was gone quickly before he could really tell.

She asked him a few more innocent questions, and he answered them in varying truths and lies, watching as her medicine began to take affect, making her eyes heavy. And then, suddenly, the shut, and she slumped down against her pillows, the glass of water she had been holding tilting dangerously.

He captured the glass and set it on the bedside table. Ren then gently re-positioned her so that she was laying down flat. Gingerly he tucked the covers in around her. He smoothed the hair back from her warm face and used a moist towel to cool her temperature, swiping it along her forehead and cheeks.

Ren silently crossed the room and slid the curtains shut, before he slipped out the room and closed the bedroom door with a muted thud.

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**A/N: Well, that was chapter 2! I hope you all enjoyed reading it!**

**A lot of y'all were looking forward to when Kyouko would wake up, so I hope that I did the scene some justice. If you think she was OOC, I know Kyouko is easily intimidated by Ren, but I think that's because she placed a lot of importance in him. Against many other characters Kyouko easily stands her ground (e.i. towards the beginning of the manga, with Kouenji Erika, the soda commercial auditions?)**

**I've only planned for this story to be 8 chapters long so far, but that might change by a few numbers. The chapters are really long though (this was is over 4000 words!) so I hope that helps.**

**If a majority prefer short chapters over the longer ones, though, I can change it up a bit. Review and let me know! Also, if you find any typos or awkwardly worded sentences, feel free to tell me so I can correct it!**

**Para el visita que escribio en espanol: Gracias por su resenar. Minetras yo entedi, no puede hablr o escribir espanol muy bien. Desde puedes leer en ingles, voy a escribir mi respuesta en ingles. Thank you for your thought-out and in-depth review. I had intended for the first chapter to be less introspective because it was more of a prologue. Thank you for the advice though, I hadn't thought to make Kyouko clingy but I find that worked better when I wrote it, so thanks :) **


	3. Chapter 3: Make Hay While the Sun Shines

**Disclaimers Apply. I do not own Skip Beat, only this story plot.**

* * *

_Aberrant Chapter 3_

_Make Hay While the Sun Shines_

* * *

A sharp knock at Ren's door interrupted their argument, and after sending Kyouko one good glare Ren obediently went and opened it.

Yashiro stood there, one hand gripping his briefcase and the other raised in greeting. "Morning Ren! Is Sleeping Beauty awake?" Yashiro asked brightly, quickly passing the threshold.

The manager's question was answered when he came face to face with the blushing Kyouko, who had tied a plain black apron she'd found God-knows-where, around her waist. Ren couldn't bring himself to lie and say he hadn't found it...attractive. He'd never had a very normal domestic lifestyle before, frequently out of his home working. To awaken to the sight of an apron wearing Kyouko was disturbing in the most pleasant sense of the word.

"Oh," Yashiro said abruptly, coming to a stop. The light-haired man sent the quickest of glares up at the smirking Ren before reaching out a hand towards Kyouko. "Good morning, I'm Yashiro Yukihito and I'm Ren's-" before he could finish Ren suddenly coughed loudly.

Yashiro and Kyouko stared at Ren piercingly, the manager wonderingly, and Kyouko suspiciously. It was obvious to everyone in the room that Ren had forced that cough.

"This is my co-worker. We carpool." Ren replied to the heavy silence. He smiled winningly, before turning to Kyouko. "This is my guest, Kyouko. She won't tell me her last name," Ren added on tartly.

Kyouko sniffed, folding her hands across her apron-covered front. "And he won't tell me his. But," she dropped her folded arms and delicately placed them in her lap, bowing low to Yashiro. "Ren-san told me you helped find me the other day. For that, I'd like to extend my deepest gratitude. Thank you very much, if there is any way to repay you that is-"

"Oh no, Kyouko-chan! You don't have to repay me. Just you getting better is enough for me." The manager hastily replied, hands fluttering over Kyouko's bent shoulders before he finally placed one there, gently pushing her into a standing position once more.

Ren cocked an eyebrow, trying to figure out of Yashiro was flirting or not. While the manager did not do it while around Ren, the actor had suspected that Yashiro went on dates every now and then when he suggested an early night.

A sharp, keen, whistle blew, startling Yashiro who stared behind Kyouko to where the source of noise seemed to come from. When Kyouko exclaimed and whirled around and into the kitchen, Yashiro followed curiously, leaving Ren nothing to do but follow them too. Besides, Ren scowled, he still had to tell Kyouko something.

When he joined them in the kitchen, Yashiro was eagerly chatting to Kyouko, who listened with a pensive expression.

"He doesn't eat, hardly ever! Can't get the man to stomach an apple! It's really very good of you to make him eat breakfast Kyouko-chan, but I do hope you aren't overexerting yourself."

Kyouko laughed cheerily. "Don't worry, I'm perfectly healthy! After resting for two days I'm back at 100%!" She was stirring a pot of something that Ren hadn't bothered to check earlier. He'd been distracted.

"While it is a kind offer, you really don't have to Kyouko-san." Ren stepped up, garnering her attention. Deftly, Ren slipped his hand down her arm holding the stirring spoon and twisted it from her fingers, somehow managing to place her on the other side of the kitchen in the same turn.

Kyouko blinked, startled, before a smug grin took over. "Oh, well, if you can finish cooking it, then thank you." She giggled, smirking at Ren's sudden wide eyes.

Yashiro watched the power play with attentive eyes, cataloging their smiles and taunts.

Ren sighed audibly, glaring at Kyouko as he handed over the cooking device. She chuckled before resuming her earlier spot by the stove. Stubbornly, though, Ren refused to move, and when she moved closer he could feel her body heat. If he moved even an inch he would touch her.

He peered down at her from his tall height, taking note of the warm blush dusting her cheeks, feeling oddly pleased. Deciding to let this go, Ren chuckled and moved away, watching as she sighed with relief.

But when Ren looked up, he found Yashiro staring at him intently in a way that left a foreboding feeling twisting his stomach. He pushed it away, figuring he'd deal with it later.

* * *

_-/-_

* * *

Later came when he and Yashiro had eaten breakfast with Kyouko, thanking her and complimenting the delicious meal. They had already left and were sitting in Ren's car on the way to a shoot when Yashiro suddenly spoke into the comfortable silence.

"Kyouko-chan is a nice girl, isn't she?"

Casting a brief glance sideways at Yashiro's abrupt statement, Ren slowly responded. "Yes she is... but Kyouko-_chan_?" He asked, putting emphasis on the polite, but close, suffix.

Yashiro waved it off, replying, "She's a cute girl, I'm sure she doesn't mind. But," and here, his tone of voice turned sly, "if it bothers you, I could stop."

Feeling as if he were walking into a trap, Ren asked, "Why would that bother me?"

Even though he could not see it Ren could physically feel the wide grin Yashiro was wearing. "Because you're jealous."

* * *

_-/-_

* * *

It had taken a few hours to get the ridiculous notion out of Yashiro's mind that Ren was interested in the girl. Well, he was curious about her, but not _romantically_ so. He'd barely met the girl a few days ago, and talked to her yesterday! What could he have found in those few moments that would have garnered his love? She'd thrown a glass bowl at him-he was still sore about that- not to mention had kneed him. No, Ren was most definitely not _interested._

At around noon Ren returned to his apartment with Yashiro in tow, coming to check on the sick girl. He swiped his keycard, punched in his code, and swung the door open only to be embraced by the smell of food. Good food. Delicious smelling food. Despite having actually eaten breakfast, Ren's stomach rumbled delightedly, as if purring.

Bypassing him, Yashiro quickly made his way to Ren's kitchen. Even as he followed him, Ren could hear his manager's excited voice. "Good afternoon Kyouko-chan! How are you feeling?"

"Oh, Yashiro-san, welcome back. I hadn't heard you enter. Are you hungry?" Kyouko's light voice suddenly reached his ears and Ren shivered. He rounded the corner and found Yashiro a respectable distance away from Kyouko, watching as she placed the last bit of food on one of three made plates.

As if sensing he were there, Kyouko turned round to face him, a bright smile tilting her lips up. "Welcome back Ren-san! I was just asking Yashiro-san if he was hungry." She grabbed two plates with Yashiro snagging hold of the third, setting out to the small dining table they had eaten breakfast on earlier. Ren followed helplessly, noticing she had not asked him if he were hungry as well.

"Good afternoon Kyouko-san," Ren finally replied, finding himself sitting next to her as she put down his plate. "You didn't have to make lunch for us. How did you know we were coming anyways?" He had only vaguely told her he'd be back sometime around noon to check on her. His gaze slipped sideways to where Yashiro innocently sat.

Kyouko smiled sweetly. "Yashiro-san called ahead to let me know." Not having sat down yet, she retreated back into the kitchen, and Ren took this moment to glare heatedly at Yashiro.

The manager sank back against Ren's heady stare. "What?" He said apprehensively.

"Why are you calling my _sick_ guest and having her cook for me?" Ren demanded angrily, shamefully.

A glint entered Yashiro's eyes as he simply shrugged. "I did no such thing. I just called to let her know we were on our way back." The manager smugly smiled at Ren, but before the actor could suitably respond Kyouko meandered back in, balancing three drinks gracefully.

Ren noted this grace and filed it away with all the other tidbits he'd found...unusual about her. Slowly, he was compiling a list of facts about Kyouko, and Ren was determined to find out who this girl was. If the other morning had not been a fluke and Kyouko really did know him somehow, Ren needed to make sure she didn't tell anyone else.

Kyouko sat to his right, with Yashiro across from her and Ren at the head of the table. Finally, Ren deigned to look down at his food, dread crawling up his throat at the notion of eating _again_. But, he was pleasantly surprised to find that he had a light plate. He glanced at the cook slyly, wondering.

"Thank you for the food," He said, before taking a bite.

"So, Kyouko-chan," Yashiro began conversationally, "Mind if I ask why we found you on a bench passed out?"

The girl in question colored slightly, avoiding their gazes as she pushed the food on her plate around with her fork. Finally, she sighed, dragging her eyes up to meet theirs. "I was tired and wasn't thinking straight. I thought the bench was… okay."

A thousand words surged in Ren's throat, desperately trying to escape his mouth. He wanted to tell her how dangerous that had been. How hurt she could have gotten. How silly, stupid. How…_scary_ the night world was. Ren wanted to force these words into her until she understood them, but he swallowed them down, knowing that she had been terribly sick and not entirely coherent when she'd made the decision.

"What were you doing out and about while so sick?" Yashiro asked next, throwing a wary eye towards Ren, who suspected that he was wearing a very stern expression. The actor quickly rearranged it into one of cordial curiosity, erasing all former irritation.

But Kyouko was staring at Ren with a strange expression, shaking herself loose to answer Yashiro's question. "I was working, and it hadn't really been that bad when I had left…"

What a liar. She refused to meet their eyes, resuming eating with gusto, and the words had left her lips oddly. Ren snorted, moving quickly to try and cover it with his hand, but the puff of air had gotten out, and Kyouko had heard it.

Opening her mouth as if to indignantly ask exactly what Ren found so funny, he said suddenly, "Oh, it's time for us to go Yashiro!"

When the manager concurred, Kyouko followed them to the door and bid them good-bye, modestly accepting compliments on a wonderful meal, and waving away apologies about being unable to help clean up.

"It's not like you ate much anyways," Kyouko sourly said, glaring fiercely at Ren. Before Ren could defend himself, Yashiro jumped to respond.

"Oh Kyouko-chan, Ren _never_ finishes his food! It's such a hassle to get him to eat even one meal a day!" The manager bemoaned, leaning dramatically against Ren's front door as if all the stress in the world rested on his shoulders.

"Just leave the dishes in the sink Kyouko-san," Ren scowled, ignoring Yashiro's dramatics as he slipped on his shoes, tapping them gently to firmly settle his foot. A thought occurred to him, and he turned to stare intently at her again. "You should be taking this moment to relax. You're still sick." And though it was phrased as a suggestion, it was lost on no one that Ren had made it a demand. Kyouko scowled, quickly hid it beneath a benign smile, and nodded.

But there was a fire in Kyouko's eyes that disturbed Ren, and so even when he left his home, flutters in his stomach as she bid them good-bye and a safe trip, Ren wondered exactly what Kyouko was planning, and what their future evening entailed.

* * *

_-/-_

* * *

He happily immersed himself into work the rest of the day, letting the busy work-load of the evening overwhelm him. After all, he had spent nearly two days with no work. Mercifully, Yashiro didn't bring up any shenanigans, except for a few grins that Ren quickly and firmly shot down with a glare.

Despite how much work he had to do, out of consideration for his charge's guest, Yashiro had ended Ren's day early with the last appointment ending around a quarter to nine. Ren thanked Yashiro for the consideration, in which the manager waved it off, instead demanding that Ren give Yashiro a smart report on Kyouko the next morning.

Ren chuckled on his way home at how quickly Yashiro had come to worry over Kyouko. But Ren had not missed the sharp observant way his manager watched the sick girl. After all, Ren was a famous superstar, and though Kyouko looked like she didn't recognize Ren-which, though he wasn't trying to be conceited, was a bit odd considering her age- it could all be a lie from here on out.

The tall actor frowned in consternation at this thought process, and it was with half a mind that Ren made the familiar turns home from Yashiro's apartment complex to Ren's condo. Was Kyouko trying to deceive him now? He didn't think so- Ren doubted the wide-eyed girl had told a believable lie in her life- but you could never tell in this world. He was an actor for goodness sake! How far-fetched could it be that she was too?

Ren was no stranger to stalkers, but despite the overwhelming mysteries surrounding his guest, Ren seriously doubted she was one. He was inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt, foolish as it was.

This conviction was further cemented when, upon entering his home, he found it well-lit and permeated with the smell of a home-cooked meal. Turning the corner into his living room, Ren pulled up short as he found Kyouko sitting with her legs tucked underneath her at his coffee table.

She seemed to not have heard him enter, and as her back was to him she hadn't seen him either. Resting a shoulder against a wall, Ren folded his arms and took this moment to observe her.

Kyouko sat tall and straight, shoulders gracefully pulled back and hands folded neatly in her lap. Half of her black hair, medium in length, was pulled away from her face in a clip, the rest of it falling down her back. He couldn't really see her face, but he knew there were strong golden eyes gazing intently.

Ren's eyes flittering upward, he spied the large window set in the far wall where, against the dark night sky, his reflection was easily visible, gawking at her creepily. The actor could feel a blush trying to rise to his cheeks but he quickly pushed the embarrassment away, instead pushing away from the wall and finally announcing himself.

"Hello Kyouko-san." He said.

Lightning fast she leapt up a foot in the air, a screech ripping from her throat so loud and intense Ren actually stopped walking to wince and cover his ears. She whirled around as soon as she found her feet, staring at him wide-eyed in shock and fear.

Coughing to hide his laughter, Ren hesitantly asked, "You didn't hear me come in?"

He could see her swallow, before she sighed and pinned him with a pout. "You're like a cat! I didn't hear a thing! I just recovered from being sick, could you not send me to the hospital with a heart attack?"

He actually laughed a loud at this, which seemed to startle her again as she jumped slightly and colored. Cutting short his amusement, Ren contained it to a small smile.

"Have you taken your medicine?" Ren asked, moving to set his keys and phone in a nearby shallow bowl on a table situated by the hallway he had just entered from. Even with his back turned he could tell she was quickly trying to gather her scattered thoughts.

"Yes, I have," she confirmed. Was it just him, or did it sound like she was pouting?

Turning round, at first glance she held a polite, neutral, expression, but when he looked closer he found her lips pursued just a bit, and her gaze staring intently at his carpeted floor.

Chuckling at her silliness, Ren moved to the kitchen, ignoring the odd feeling that surfaced in his stomach as he heard her pad after him. It had been a while since he had shared his home for so long. To know another person was breathing and living within these walls felt…foreign to him.

Swallowing up his inner unease, the actor peered at the food sitting covered on his stove and countertops, and then stepped aside to raise an inquiring eyebrow at Kyouko. She ignored his question and moved with ease around his kitchen, retrieving utensils and plates that he had long forgotten the homes of. When Kyouko began to brazenly place to food together on the plate Ren moved to stand uncomfortably close to her, demanding an answer.

The blush that sprouted up at his proximity unnerved him, but this was his home, and he wasn't going to be bullied around in it!

After a few moments, the golden-eyed girl sighed and shifted a few steps away from him, placing them at a polite distance once more. "Yashiro-san called to let me know when you were coming home. He mentioned that you had worked hard today, so I thought I'd prepare you a dinner…it was the least I could do." The words came reluctantly, and she glared somewhere past him.

Ren teetered between demanding that she rest, ignore his manager, or to stop taking liberties in his home, and thanking her for thinking of him, a stranger. It was on the tip of his tongue to reject her kindness, when suddenly the stray thought reared to the forefront of his mind: what would he feel like in her situation?

In a kind stranger's home, sick, being taken care of, with nothing to return. Ren imagined he would feel ashamed, embarrassed, and guilty. And, Ren thought, Kyouko was most likely the same. Sighing his displeasure, Ren seceded the point. A girl was cooking homemade meals for him, who was he to start complaining?

Thanking her, Ren helped Kyouko gather up the plates, utensils, and drinks, leading her to his living room so they could sit at his low table instead of the formal dining room. It was particularly stuffy in that room, and Ren found that when he actually ate being able to look out his ceiling-to-floor windows provided a wondrous atmosphere.

So here they settled. They were a third of the way into the meal when Ren grimaced. God, it was awkward. No other words aside from the usual table manners had been exchanged, and every time Ren gathered his courage to start a conversation, he found himself held back.

When he was with his fellow actors and showbiz peers, Ren knew there was _some_ common ground between them. It was this safeguard that allowed Ren the confidence to begin a conversation even if the topic wasn't about show business. But her? She was a stranger he found off the streets. Completely and utterly unknown to him. His usual partners he was flirting with, his co-workers he worked with, and that was it. There were no other friends or any other type of peoples. At the same time, he didn't want to try and act his way out of this. Not only would it be rude, but he found that lying, in any form, to her was disconcerting. From what he could gather, despite hiding her last name, Kyouko hadn't really deceived him. Already, Ren figured he'd stacked a heavy number of falsehoods, and he was reluctant to add to that figure.

"How was work today?"

Her sudden voice threw him completely, and it took him a moment to emerge from his heavy musings and focus on her suddenly poised question. She was looking at him expectantly, a small smile tilting the corners of her lips up.

Ren hastily answered. "It was okay. A bit busier than normal, but not unmanageable."

She frowned, a small wrinkle forming between her drawn eyebrows as she pursued her lips in thought. "Is it because you took off work to take care of me?"

"Just a little. It's normally busy though, don't worry about it," he replied, hoping it would deter her.

Kyouko nodded and resumed eating, and silence fell between them once more. But instead of it being terribly loaded and awkward, it was calm. Ren thought it was only him though, because Kyouko sported a slight frown for the rest of the meal.

Afterwards, as Ren helped her cart the dishes back to the kitchen, she asked, "After I'm done washing the dishes, may I use your phone?"

"Well, first, I'll wash the dishes-" immediately she began to protest and Ren overrode it, "it's only fair since you cooked. You're still the guest you know." He said full of mirth, glancing at her with a smile as her gaze canted to the side.

Quickly she whirled and stared at him with bright eyes. "I can wash and you can dry the dishes!"

Ren felt vaguely guilty, though amused, when he shot her down once more, firmly reiterating that he would do the dishes. She scowled at him.

Chuckling a bit, Ren finally answered her question. "But yes, you can use my phone. I don't have a landline though, will my cell be okay?" At her nod of ascent, he directed her to his phone. He wondered if it would be okay to ask why she didn't have a phone, but decided against it. That was her business.

As the water from his sink spurted on and he lathered soap onto his sponge, he could hear her suddenly begin speaking.

"Hello Okami-san, this is Kyouko." She quickly was cut off, before resuming, "I'm fine Okami-san. I apologize for suddenly missing work and not calling ahead. I fell sick and was unable to use the phone." She fell silent once more as the other end spoke. "Yes Okami-san, I'm fine now." Ren could practically hear the smile in her words.

The actor only felt slightly guilty as he listened in on her conversation. She wasn't really making it an effort to keep it private though as she spoke right outside the open kitchen door, pacing up and down the hall way.

She called two other jobs, apologizing profusely for her absence, confirming her well-being, and then moving on. _Most likely three minimum-wage jobs_, Ren mused. _But she worked all three in two days?_ He frowned at this thought. That was a very heavy workload to be taking on. In fact, he thought it bordered on unhealthy. Unless these were small-shifts, it would be no wonder as to why Kyouko fell sick.

The call after the first three was of a different nature, he noted. He had finished with the dishes, dried his hands and settled with crossed arms against his counters, waiting out her phone-calls in the kitchen.

"Good evening Masumi-san, this is Kyouko." Ren also realized she had not mentioned her last name. Maybe she figured he could hear her.

"Yes Masumi-san, I know it's late. I'm very sorry but I fell sick and was unable to bring it to you- what?" Her sharp tone caught Ren's wondering attention, and he focused once more on her conversation. She had stopped pacing.

"It was _paid_? By who?" Kyouko demanded, panic seeping into her words. "You called him? Oh Masumi-san I knew I was late but-" Kyouko was cut off once more, falling silent. Without the noise of pouring water, Ren could actually hear a tiny angry squabble from the other line.

"Yes Masumi-san. I won't be late next time. Yes, thank you," Kyouko ended the conversation dejectedly it seemed. She sighed heavily and resumed her pacing. When she passed the open doorway her eyes flitted up and caught Ren's heavy gaze. She said nothing about his obvious eavesdropping, instead continuing her pacing as she brought the phone up once more and dialing another number.

It picked up soon enough. "Sho-chan! It's Kyouko-" and like clockwork Kyouko was cut off once more. Ren couldn't hear anything this time. He moved closer, leaning against the doorway.

"I'm so sorry Sho-chan! I didn't mean to forget, in fact, I didn't! I'm really sorry Sho-chan, please forgive me!" Ren could feel his ire build. Who was this "Sho" that Kyouko was apologizing to in such a degrading manner? "What? No Sho-chan! I…I got sick."

A few moments passed with silence on her end, before she resumed, "A…a friend of mine's. He helped me-" this time when Kyouko was cut off Ren could hear the loud angry yelling from the other end. The loud angry _male_ yelling. Kyouko's face grew pale, and she stopped pacing to raise a shaking hand to her lips.

"No Sho-chan! It's nothing like that I-" when Kyouko choked on her words because of the tears she was trying to hold at bay, Ren thought that enough was enough. He stormed over and snatched the phone from her. "No, Ren-san what are you-" her voice abruptly stopped as the actor snapped his cell shut.

With horror on her face, Kyouko once more raised shaking hands to her mouth, her fingers interlacing to hide her trembling lips. Ren felt sick staring at her teary eyes.

Her dewy eyes fluttered, and when one tear slipped down her cheek Kyouko hastily wiped it way before it could reach her chin. She swallowed, hard, before smiling weakly. "I'm sorry Ren-san. I took up a long time on your phone."

For a second, Ren hesitated. Should he take the ready excuse she had handed him? With a stern frown, he decided _no_. He wasn't going to bullshit any longer. Not with this situation.

"That's not why I took my phone back," Ren bit out, his anger coloring his words. Kyouko flinched at his admission, and guilt clambered up to overpower the anger seething within him. Slowly, he settled back, the raised fist clenching his phone lowering to his side.

"Then why?" She asked, staring at him dejectedly.

"Because some jerk was yelling at you," he replied simply. That was the basic truth, after all.

Quickly, the tears receded in Kyouko's eyes and resentment and anger reared in its place. "That wasn't for you to decide!" She seethed, glaring at him fiercely.

Her angry stare reminded him of their first conversation. Somehow, Ren had forgotten how passionate Kyouko was in her anger. Her golden eyes bit into him ruthlessly, annoying Ren.

"It was my phone. I could decide whatever I wanted." He stated coldly, looking down at her.

Instantly enraged, Kyouko stalked away from him and into her guest bedroom. Ren replied in kind, pausing to throw a dirty look at her closed door before marching into his own room and shutting its entrance before resting against it.

But with the closed door Ren's anger melted away from him, and he groaned, sliding down the wooden back and sinking to settle on the floor, legs propped up before him. He rested his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands.

What was he going to do? Two days in and he'd made himself into a fool and bastard in her eyes.

Who was he kidding? He _was _a fool and a bastard.

* * *

**A/N: Thun thun thun! Chapter 3! Ren's really screwed himself over, huh?**

**I'm sorry for the late update! School got a bit hectic, but I finally was able to finish this chappie. What do you think? Was Ren right in taking over the situation? What do you think Sho got angry about? And what, exactly, are the strange feelings turning Ren's stomach topsy-turvy? Review and let me know what you think! I love hearing your thoughts, so please share!**

**An overwhelming amount of y'all preferred longer chapters over short ones, and I am but a slave to your demands to here is a particularly long one (almost 5000 words!) To those who reviewed with their choice, thank you! You've just helped decide the future layout of this story ;)**

**I'll try to keep updates to on or around Tuesdays, which is a nice resting point for me in my week, but no promises! I find that when I try to strictly restrict myself, my muse floats away on the wind~**

**Also, to those who reviewed about the way Kyouko's name is spelled, I have decided for this story I will keep her name as I have been spelling it until a later date. I might go back and change it, but until then, please bear with me and my creative freedom. **

**As always, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed! Please review with your thoughts!**

**Next chapter: **_The Runaway_

**P.S. some of y'all are frightening in how correct your guesses/predictions/hopes are in your reviews XD am I so easy to read lol?**


	4. Chapter 4: The Runaway

**Disclaimers Apply. I do not own Skip Beat, only this story plot.**

* * *

_Aberrant Chapter 4_

_The Runaway_

* * *

Surprisingly, despite the conflicting thoughts plaguing his mind as he prepared for bed, he slept easily and quickly, awaking the next morning quite refreshed. _It must be the food, _Ren thought, as he drew back the curtains in his room. Morning sunlight bathed his lithe form, clad only in a pair of soft bottoms.

Taking a deep restorative breath, the actor went about his business, dreading with each step he took how much closer it eventually would take him to confronting Kyouko.

He would have to apologize, obviously. After a good night's sleep Ren figured that, his phone or not, he really hadn't the right to have been rude like that. It was illogical, and _Ren_ was rarely illogical. That wasn't his character.

Swallowing down the alternative, Ren toweled dry his face, breathing in deeply once more. With his exhale, his mind wandered, and Ren made a mental note to later look up a self-help book on focusing his mind. Normally, the actor had no trouble on concentrating, but somehow his brain seemed intent on derailing the very route he needed to take.

Firmly, Ren decided that, like a band-aid, he must amend the situation as quickly as possible. He'd have to chalk it up to something, though, seeing as how _Ren_ would never act that way. _The busy day at work sounds good_, he mused silently, finally slipping on his socks. The famous celebrity stood with a stretch, briefly checked his full-length mirror to make sure he didn't look stupid, and stepped out, fully prepared (or as prepared as he was going to be) to wage war (or peace).

But, when Ren stepped out, immediately he stopped, filled with a sense dread not totally unrelated to his anxiety concerning Kyouko. Because, his home was entirely too silent.

Over the past few days, Ren had gotten used to constantly having a presence in his home, whether she'd been asleep or bustling about, there was the safe comfort of human life coexisting with his own. Strangely though, his home felt lacking, and the worst feeling coursed through his veins, turning them ice-cold as a disturbing prospect crossed his mind.

Panicking, he quickly covered the short distance from his room to hers, not quite pounding on her door (because now it was _her_ room, he realized, not just the guest room she was using) only to be greeted by silence. His rough knocking echoed back to him eerily, and Ren damned propriety and twisted her doorknob, rushing in.

Emptiness met him.

The room was dark, even with the curtains drawn open, the utter vacuity of it paralleling his own sudden black feelings. She'd left him. _She'd left him_.

Her bed was made, her things were all gone, even the cup of water that had been left for her was gone, the bedroom as sparse and drab as it had ever been before she'd jumped into his life with her vitality and golden eyes.

Anger riled up within him, it's passion chasing away his earlier resentment, and he could feel his former blank face draw into one of irritation. She had left him. No good-bye, no closure, not even a final _thank-you_.

He could feel red creep into his face as his anger manifested. Ren's fingers curled into hands, and all of a sudden such a deep pressure built within him. He wanted to find her, to demand to know _why_ she'd just left like that-

But he didn't even know where she lived.

Ren truly felt a like a ton of bricks had slammed into him, so much that he stumbled on his feet and leaned quickly against a nearby wall in the darkened guest bedroom.

He didn't know her last name. He knew absolutely _nothing _about her.

A sour acrid taste gathered in his mouth as Ren recognized exactly what he was feeling: he felt cheated.

Ren had opened his home, his trust, to a stranger and at the first sign of dissent she had turned tail and ran, when Ren had already begun to depend on her.

That was the worst part, Ren thought. He missed her small quirky smiles, how she forcibly cooked for him, how she needled after him. She was like the mother he had gone without for five years, the sole companion he felt close enough with to allow to boss him around like that.

The companionship he had unknowingly craved, that he had found within her, seemed to vanish in thin smoke, because seemingly it meant absolutely nothing to her. If she could just up and leave like that, then surely it meant nothing.

Hunching over against the wall, Ren cradled his face within his hands as en emotion he had repressed for so long came roaring back with a vengeance that left him defeated. Once again, he was worthless. He had let so much of himself go with this girl, had practically let go of Ren without realizing it and enjoyed himself, that he found himself unable to draw back the facade he had so carefully layered over him. The dewy silk layers of his character had been torn through effortlessly, and like a brick he sunk through the waters of depression once more.

Was he really so worthless?

A familiar buzz within his slack's pocket brought him back to the real world, and responsibilities he had never minded before became obligations that he did not want to fulfill. With a heavy sigh, Ren reached into the depth of his pocket and retrieved the incessant device, flipping it open to rest against his ear.

"Yes, Yashiro-san?"

Immediately following his words, Ren cringed. The was a shocked silence on the other end, and another sigh was expelled from the actor, who ran a hand over his face, imagining he were pulling down his character, his face, he was Ren right now...

"I'm sorry Yashiro-san, that was rude of me. Good morning." The celebrity corrected, hoping his manager would not question the surly response Ren had first given him.

Like a pro, Yashiro hid his shock and smoothly slid into the conversation. "Good morning Ren. I was just calling to inform you that the President would like to see you again today. I can fit in a meeting for him sometime this-"

"Whenever is fine Yashiro," Ren interrupted, abruptely standing away from the wall to walk towards his kitchen. He _really _needed a cup of coffee.

His manager bounced back quickly, taking the cue. "Alright then. If you don't need anything, I'll see you in about an hour."

Ren nodded absentmindedly as he rounded the corner to his kitchen, murmuring a polite good-bye before snapping the cell shut. It was then that Ren finally noticed that there was a smell in his condo...

He crossed the threshold from carpet to tile as he entered his kitchen in shock.

On his stove were three pots, simmering or something with the lids on, his coffee-maker quite full, and rectangular-somethings that Ren was developing a sneaky suspicion about. Pinned to his black coffee-maker was a slightly pink-tinged sheet of paper seemingly torn from a notebook. Ren briefly glanced at the cutesy designs bordering it with cheery cartoon rabbits nibbling on carrots and hopping around the page. Already a smile was tilting the corners of his lips up as Ren read the message:

_Dear Ren-san:_

_If you're reading this message, then this means I have left before you've woken up. _

_I'm sorry to be leaving without talking with you first but it was of utmost urgency that I leave, and I regret being unable to sit and discuss with you first the circumstances of our situation. For your hospitality I would like to extend my most humble thanks, and to also deliver my most sincere apologies for my behavior last night. If you are irreversibly angry with me, I understand._

_Nonetheless, I have once again proved myself most audacious by commandeering your kitchen. I've made breakfast, and your lunch. I expect both to have been eaten. I will know if you haven't eaten either. _

_Ren-san, I promise to be in touch, and I do hope you have a very good day._

_Sincerely, Kyouko_

_P.S. Please eat, and a cup of black coffee does not count._

_P.P.S. Isn't this stationary cute?_

A warm chuckle bubbled within Ren's chest as he gently set the cute note aside, reaching for the prepared mug to serve himself some coffee.

Like the flick of switch his terribly oppressive feelings had vanished, leaving behind only a weary relief that Ren found frightening. Ren set his cup down with a clatter, not paying any heed to the splash of coffee that landed on his counter as he suddenly came to a realization.

He put so much _value_ in Kyouko, in this _girl_. _Why?_ He wondered, reclaiming his cup as the moment of epiphany passed. Obediently, Ren went about gathering food, taking note of the increasingly light foods she had been preparing him. Like a gentle wave warmth washed over him, and Ren thought, what did it _matter_?

He was making it complicated, he thought. She was his guest, a sick person, of course he'd panic when he suddenly found her gone. For all he knew, she could have gone and stolen everything. It was a thought he didn't bother entertaining however, seeing how she had been so desperate to pay him for his services earlier.

He ate his breakfast meal in a silence that, previously ignored now seemed overwhelming, and Ren couldn't prevent his frequent sighs that pervaded the silence in between bites of food that were becoming increasingly tasteless.

Like clockwork Ren fell into his habits, washing the dishes, climbing into his car, picking up Yashiro, and driving to his first job of the day.

When Yashiro settled into the front seat, he didn't say much aside from a polite good morning, a cursory glance-over of his schedule for the day, a much more in-depth explanation for his first job, and then a lapse into silence. A quick look from the corners of his eyes told Ren that Yashiro was busy scribbling away in his planner, something usually left to be done while Ren was on set.

Obviously, the manager wasn't exactly _okay_ with this unexplained turn of events, as was also evident by his frequent fidgeting and glances in Ren's direction.

A huge internal sigh later, Ren finally figured he'd better breach the topic now rather than let it stew all day. But before he could, Yashiro jumped forward.

"Did something happen with Kyouko-chan?" The inquisitive manager asked, and like a flood everything was divulged from Ren's willing lips as he confessed his worry over Kyouko's sudden absence.

He told the light-haired man of their argument the night before, his worry overnight, Kyouko's sudden disappearance come morning, the cute-sy note, and the prepared breakfast.

With a groan, Ren finished his tirade. "What does it even _mean _Yashiro? Is she or is she not mad? Is she coming back or not?"

He pulled into a parking space as he said his last word, turning to look at Yashiro.

The man was red in the face with what Ren could immediately tell was held-in laughter. At Ren's insulted face the manager let loose, laughing so hard he bent over in his seat to hug his stomach.

Flabbergasted, Ren let this go on until the poor man finished, sitting up straight and wiping a few stray tears from his face. With the most serious face Ren had ever seen, Yashiro turned to look straight into Ren's eyes and said, "It means you're in love."

For a second everything in Ren's world fell still as he processed Yashiro's words, and then a look of the most absolute disgust crossed his face, and angrily he turned from his manager. "Yashiro-san, I told you this out of all sincerity, _not_ to be made fun of." Fluidly he unbuckled his seat-belt and slid out from his leather seats, exiting his car irritably.

His manager quickly followed, "Ren, I'm being completely serious!" He had to jog to keep up with Ren's long stride, so guiltily the taller man slowed down.

"Honestly, you've known this girl for, what, four days?, and you treat her closer than you do me, and I've known you for three years! If it's out of a strict want to keep it all business, then I understand, but to this day I've never seen you become real friends with anyone like you have with that girl, except for maybe the President or Maria!"

Yashiro's words struck home with Ren, who scowled at what they implied. "That could just mean I finally got a friend," he said sardonically, but nontheless he slowed down even more, enough so that they were walking at a gentle pace.

The look his manager gave Ren told the actor exactly what Yashiro thought of his words. Still, though. He couldn't have possible fallen in love. Maybe he _liked _her, but love? That was something out of his league, and something he didn't deserve, nor really want. Who could he ask to love him, the monster that he was?

As they approached the director, Ren shook his head softly. "No, Yashiro it couldn't possibly be." And with those words Ren settled once more into his facade, and greeted the director with a smile.

* * *

_-/-_

* * *

Despite his final words Ren found himself wondering about her throughout the day, especially while he and Yashiro were eating lunch. When they'd settled down to eat in his dressing room and Yashiro had discovered the ready-made lunch boxes from Kyouko, he'd opened his mouth with words Ren was already dreading.

"Aw, she's really sweet, isn't she?"

Ren had silenced any further conversation on the topic with a sour look, and so they proceeded with the rest of the day with no further mention of her, until Ren was finally dropping Yashiro off.

The manager hesitated outside the open door of the car, glancing at Ren, before venturing to say, "Let me know when you hear from her again, ok?"

Ren had agreed and drove off silently. But she was in the car with him, on his mind, a distraction he couldn't turn away from. He wondered, was she okay? would she come back? did she care to come back? had he been taken advantage of? where was she?

These thoughts were all he could focus on, so when he approached his condo's door, he was understandably startled to find someone there.

Sitting on his floor, leaning against his doorway, was a dozing girl surrounded by grocery bags, filled to the brim. A few bags had tilted over, spilling their contents, and the girls herself had drawn her knees up to her chest, wrapped her arms around them, and rested her head on them. A content smile brought warmth into her face, where the sickness had drawn it away from.

Instantly, at seeing her, all of his fears were abated, and the biggest relief possible alleviated all the knots in his stomach. She was okay, she was _here_.

He knelt beside her. Softly, with trembling hands, he brushed away a few stray locks that covered her face, before gently placing a hand on her shoulder to wake her.

Blinking slowly, she stared up at him for not even half a second before letting loose an ear-splitting scream that made him wince and back away. On her part she flailed her arms, pinwheeled, and fell side-ways, crawling away from him to hide.

Once more Ren stared flabbergasted, even so, he was quickly distracted by her turned back, forming such a line to follow that his eyes couldn't resist, trailing lower and lower...

She twisted to stare at him, eyes big and doe-ful, her eyelashes slightly damp and her lips were perfectly pink, pouting temptingly...

"Ren-san?" She questioned.

He blinked back to the present and redirected his gaze to her eyes. "Um...yeah. What was that all about?"

A brilliant blush surged up her cheeks, and she looked away from his inquiring stare. "Nothing. You were smiling."

Incredulously, he asked, "I was smiling, so you screamed in horror?" He 'harumphed' and leaned back on his heels, "I didn't realize I was so ugly."

Quickly she backtracked, waving her hands frantically in denial. "No no no! You're not ugly, not all! In fact, you're very very attractive, I'd say if you were a celebrity you'd be really popular, even more popular than S-some people!"

His ego sufficiently stroked, and his heart beating just a bit faster at how vehemently she denied his statement, he grinned boyishly. "Oh. Well thank you," he responded happily.

If possible, she blushed even harder, seemingly permanently red.

To save her, he changed the topic. He gestured widely with his hands at the scattered goods at their feet. "Well, what's all this?"

As if barely remembering it, she began to place stray products back into their bags, and Ren realized they were all food-stuffs. "I bought some groceries, since you were running _very_ low. That, and to replace all the food I used."

He helped her grab the bags, sneakily grabbing most of them. At her resistance, he smiled, "They're for me, so isn't it right for me to grab them?" As he spoke he swiped his card, punched in the correct code into the keypad, and gained them entry to his home, where upon flipping on the lights and feeling her follow him, didn't feel as lonely as it normally did.

They settled the groceries in the kitchen, where Kyouko immediately began to cook. It's there that Ren finally spied the time on the stove clock, and he nearly choked when he found it was past 10.

A sinking suspicion settling in his stomach, Ren turned to face her. "What time did you get here?"

The brunette was busy chopping vegetables already, so she hummed distractedly. "Half past eight I think."

"Oh." He said. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you were waiting for me. Were you outside my door this entire time?"

She nodded in response, echoing it verbally as she settled the vegetables aside in a bowl and began on the meat.

"How did you get here?" Ren asked, standing at just the edge of the kitchen. She had barred him entry a few days ago.

"I walked," she replied.

She _walked_. At eight o clock at night she walked through Tokyo, to his condo, and waited two hours for him. He couldn't tell if he was angry or touched. A thousand images filtered through his head of all the dangerous things that could have happened, from her being mugged, to being kidnapped, to being raped, and he found it hard to breathe.

Angrily, Ren demanded, "Do you realize what could have happened to you?" He breached the safety boundary between his kitchen and the hall outside, coming to stand beside Kyouko that, if he had been less angry, would have been entirely too close.

As it was, standing beside her in this domesticated form, a pink fluffy apron cinched round her wait, big wide eyes looking woefully up at him, the very sight of her cooking for _him_, was already draining away the vestiges of his anger. Gently, he slid the cooking instruments from her hands, grasping the trembling fingers in his own securely, snugly. He brought them together to hold in one hand, another one reaching to brush away a stray hair that curled sweetly onto her cheek.

He chuckled humorlessly. "I know its all done and past now, but I still got a heart attack. Please, be more careful, especially at night." He could feel her trying to tug away slightly, so he squeezed her fingers together for but a moment, before letting them slip away. A brilliant blush on her face, Kyouko backed away until there was a more respectable distance between them.

"Why..." she swallowed, before continuing, glaring at suspiciously. But this glare wasn't like the ones full of hate from before, it was a nervous stare. "Why do you even care?"

He wondered if he should lie. If he should replace his fallen facade-the one that seemed to be gone more often than it was up- and tell her something polite and distant. There were still traces of warmth in his fingertips, though, and he couldn't forget how lovely it felt to be so close to someone, to their body heat...

He spoke. "I don't know why, but it matters to me. You're someone..." he chickened out. "I like you very much. I would hate to see something happen to you. Especially on account of me."

Kyouko blushed even more, before nodding. "Okay. I won't come by so late."

Ren groaned. That wasn't _exactly _what he had meant. She could come whenever she wanted to. She could _be here _whenever she wanted to be, but it was being in Tokyo at night that made his throat close.

But the actor simply nodded his thanks, and left to change in to more comfortable clothes.

Dinner was ready soon enough, and that was when Ren found the chance to ask some more questions. They sat side by side at his living room table, the TV softly speaking, the night sky of Tokyo twinkling flirtatiously at them from his windows. He sat cross-legged, while her legs were tucked beneath her, her skirt fluttering around them modestly. Ren wasn't sure if he was relieved or not when she sat at the table, it's top covering the lovely view...

They had been making small talk, easily and comfortable enough, when Ren finally asked the questions that plagued him all day. "If you don't mind me asking, what did you do today?"

Kyouko blinked at the seemingly at of no-where question, before grinning happily. "Well, when I left your home this morning, I went to my apartment to change, and then went to my job. I worked, and when I came out grabbed some groceries to come meet you here."

Ren felt like, in that simple answer she'd given him more clues as to who she was than all of their past interactions together.

"What about you," she asked, shuffling closer, her mostly empty plate pushed aside. Kyouko knelt with her hands in her lap, inquisitively leaning forward. "If you don't mind me asking," here she grinned, "what did you do all day?"

The tall man responded by inching closer himself, hyper-aware of the fact that her knees were just a few inches from his, that if he scooted closer just a little bit more they would be touching... "Well after waking up to find you gone- which had been very worrying and stressful for seven o'clock in the morning - I ate your very lovely breakfast, enjoyed your cute note, and went to pick up Yashiro." Ren was beginning to enjoy the feather dusting of red that appeared on her cheeks. He wondered what else made this lovely girl blush. "Afterwards we drove around to our various jobs, meeting and talking with people. Oh, Yashiro sends his thanks for the food. He said it was very delicious, and that he hopes he can eat your cooking once more in the future."

"Of course!" Kyouko staunchly replied, and Ren's hopes soared at the thought of seeing her once more. _Thank you Yashiro!_

He shifted a minuscule amount closer. "We did a few more jobs, and then I dropped him off and came home only to find you sleeping quite soundly by my front door. You were even snoring," he teased, grinning boyishly.

"I was not!" Kyouko hotly retorted, flushing crimson. "I do not snore!"

"Oh, yes you do. It was loud enough that it scared me to find it came from someone so small."

She sniffed. "Not everyone's an amazon, thank you very much. I find myself to be quite average in all aspects."

Ren moved just a bit more, and he nearly jumped when he found Kyouko completing the gap between them. "Surely," he said, "you don't really believe that?"

"What?" she asked distractedly, and he found himself unable to look away from her glimmering golden eyes.

"You don't really think you're _just _average." Ren clarified, finding himself memorizing the curve of her cheeks and the sweep of her hair, how she blushed starting first in the corners of her cheeks and slowly reaching to consume her face.

"But I am."

Her simple words broke his heart as much as it resonated within him, and he was baffled. She was amazing, in her tenacity, her capacity to be brave, her delicious cooking, and how strong she was. How was that in any way 'average'?

Ren slowly shook his head, maintaining eye contact all the while. "I suppose perception _is_ entirely subjective, because to me you are anything but average." He found her hand and cradled it in both of his, trying desperately to get her to see the truth. "To me, you are very amazing."

Quietly, Kyouko lowered her eyes, the dark brown lashes obscuring their golden color. To his honest words she said nothing, and so Ren left her to her thoughts as he softly released her hand, gathering their dishes to be transported to the kitchen.

The actor took advantage of her wondering thoughts by quickly washing the dishes, drying them, and storing them away. He put away the food as best as he could, wiped down his counters, and stepped back out to find Kyouko still sitting where he'd left, back as straight as ever.

He followed her gaze to their reflection in his dark window, him standing just behind her sitting figure.

"Come, it's late," his voice came out soft in the silence, like speaking into cotton. He held his hand out for her, and Kyouko turned from their reflection to reach for it. "It's time to go to bed."

But at his words she recoiled, coming to stand on her own, and still they were close, enough so that Ren could once again feel her warmth. He wondered how he had ever lived in his condo without it before.

"Oh no Ren-san, I can't take advantage of you again. I must head home." Kyouko's words followed her as she quickly made her way to his front door.

He blocked her. "Oh no. I can't let you walk around at this time. It's almost midnight. No, you have to stay. And-" he added as she tried to resist. "It's not taking advantage of me, nor is it an inconvenience. I'm quite willing to having you stay."

Kyouko blushed at his words, before meekly agreeing. She turned to head to her room, and Ren followed, switching off a few lights as he went. But when she turned into her room, he stopped short.

"Do you...do you have anything to sleep in?" Ren asked.

Kyouko responded negatively, so the actor retrieved the smallest shirt and shorts he could find, handing the silken material to Kyouko, who seemed to be permanently red as she accepted them.

Before the distraught girl could retreat into her room, Ren paused. "Good night Kyouko-san."

Kyouko turned to look at him, smiling softly. "Good night Ren-san."

He fell asleep soon after, aching for her warmth in his large empty bed.

* * *

**A/N: Hi y'all! Sorry for the long wait. I have finals coming up, and it's been a bit busy recently. My next update most likely won't be until the third week of May. Sorry peeps!**

**Now, Chapter 4! Things have really heated up, especially with Ren turning on the charm. Yashiro just might be on to something, hmm? Let me know what you guys think! Was it OOC? Was it as fluffy as I tried to make it out to be? Tell me, if you were in Kyouko's situation, would you run away, or leap headfirst towards Ren? I love hearing your responses!**

**Also, some of you have been asking why Kyouko doesn't seem to remember Kuon/Corn's face. She doesn't XD She was talking nonsense...or was she? I can't tell you unless Kyouko does, since this is all from Ren's POV!**

**Thanks for reading and for reviewing (for those that do), and I hope you enjoyed! Stay tuned in for more. Love and kisses from moi!**

**Next chapter: **_Spring Fever_

**P. S.: Y'all have, once again, proved how frightening you are in your predictions! Several of you pointed out some plots of this chapter lol I hope it was still a good enough read for y'all!**

**P.P.S: If you find any grammatical errors, misspellings, or anything of the sort, let me know and I'll fix them. I'm my only editor~**


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